EDPN 673 Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language
This course provides a historical overview of second language acquisition theories and teaching methods. Students learn how to apply current approaches, methods and techniques, with attention to the effective use of materials, in teaching English as a second language. Students will engage in the planning and implementation of standards-based ESL instruction which includes differentiated learning experiences geared to students’ needs. Emphasis is placed on creating culturally responsive learning environments. Includes 15 hours of field work.
Instructional Material Critique and Redesign for Multilingual Learners: Integrating AI, WIDA, and New York State Standards
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into educational settings, teacher preparation programs such as Touro University’s GSE face an important challenge: helping aspiring educators use AI productively while preserving the professional judgment at the heart of teaching. The Instructional Material Critique and Redesign for Multilingual Learners: Integrating AI, WIDA, and New York State Standards assignment was designed with this goal in mind.
The assignment requires our TESOL candidates to engage first in the intellectual work that defines effective teaching. They analyze authentic instructional materials using the ESL Textbook Evaluation Checklist, the WIDA PRIME framework, New York State Next Generation Learning Standards, and TESOL research. Candidates identify strengths, limitations, linguistic barriers, and opportunities for instructional improvement. These decisions require disciplinary knowledge, critical analysis, and an understanding of multilingual learner development.
AI enters the process after candidates have completed this professional evaluation. Using Gemini and NotebookLM through the Touro student portal, candidates develop instructional artifacts such as leveled reading passages, vocabulary supports, comic strips, and infographics. The generated materials are not submitted as finished products. Candidates must verify sources, evaluate the quality of the output, revise it for accuracy and appropriateness, and explain how the redesigned material supports multilingual learners. The assignment places responsibility for instructional decision-making with the candidate.
Recent implementation of New York State guidance aligned with the WIDA English Language Development Standards makes this work particularly relevant. Candidates are expected to consider proficiency-level expectations, language features, communication demands, and content-language integration when redesigning instructional materials. The assignment requires them to translate WIDA principles into classroom practice, creating supports that maintain grade-level rigor while improving access for multilingual learners.
NotebookLM contributes an additional dimension of professional learning through its source-grounded design. Candidates are encouraged to build materials from selected curriculum texts, chapters, articles, and instructional resources rather than relying on generalized AI responses. This process strengthens habits of evidence-based practice, source verification, and curriculum alignment that are essential in PK-12 settings.
The project avoids cognitive offshoring and develops skills that candidates will use throughout their careers. Schools increasingly expect educators to evaluate AI-generated content, create multimodal learning resources, adapt materials for diverse student populations, and document standards alignment. Through this assignment, candidates gain experience with each of these responsibilities while maintaining ownership of the pedagogical decisions that shape student learning.
Kalee Fan is an early childhood special education teacher in NYCPS. She is currently pursuing a Bilingual Education Extension to better support multilingual learners and create more equitable learning opportunities for all students. She is passionate about fostering an inclusive classroom where every child feels valued, confident, and empowered to succeed.
“This assignment taught me that effective instructional materials are not simply selected. They are thoughtfully evaluated and adapted so multilingual learners can fully access, engage with, and contribute to learning.”
Kalee Fan, Bilingual Education Extension Candidate, Touro University
